#EndSARS: Lagos Chief Coroner Calls for Identification of Missing Persons

Matilda Omonaiye/

The Lagos State chief coroner, has called for the identification of missing persons between 19th and 27th of October, 2020.

The chief coroner, Mojisola Dada, in an advertorial today, said the action was in line with section 15 of the Coroner’s System Law of Lagos, 2015.

There have been accounts of missing in the aftermath of the Lekki shootings of October 20 where soldiers opened fire in a bid to disperse #EndSARS protesters.

The advertorial reads in part, “This is to notify the General Public that the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Hon Justice M.A Dada (Mrs) pursuant to section 15, Coroner’s System Law of Lagos State, 2015 the Pathology Team would want all those who have lost loved ones between 19 th-27 th October, 2020 (that is, next-of-kin of the victims) to provide relevant information that would assist the identification exercise.

“The next-of-kin should contact the department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos State University (LASUTH), Oba Akinjobi Way, Ikeja for the identification exercise of the deceased.

“The next-of-kin will be required to provide means of identification of themselves and their loved ones. Nationally am to recognised means of identification such as International passport, Driver’s license, National ID card, or LASSRA ID Card shall be accepted. Only the parents, siblings or children, in that decreasing order of preference are expected to come to LASUTH. The hours of visit will be from 10:00 to 2:00pm for the next two (2) weeks starting from the date of this announcement.”

It further says the next-of-kin should come along with “clear photographs of the missing person,” and “their own upper body photographs as well as provide samples for Reference DNA Profile, where necessary”.

It added that said the profile received from the next-of-kin will be compared with that from the autopsy of the deceased, and should match before the body will be released by the office of the chief coroner to the relatives for burial.

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